The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is recognized to be the main posterior stabilizer of the knee. PCL injuries are most commonly associated with concurrent ligament injuries and also with a high prevalence of chondral and meniscal injuries. Recent evidence of the accuracy of the stress radiographs as […]
Quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques, such as T2 and T2 star (T2*) mapping, have been used to evaluate ligamentous tissue in vitro and to identify significant changes in structural integrity of a healing ligament. These studies lay the foundation for a clinical study that uses quantitative mapping to evaluate ligaments in vivo, […]
The posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) is recognized as an essential stabilizer of the knee. However, the complexity of the ligament has generated controversy about its definitive role and the recommended treatment after injury. A proper understanding of the functional role of the PCL is necessary to minimize residual instability, osteoarthritic progression, and failure of […]
Biomechanical studies have reported that the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) functions as a restraint against excessive tibial internal rotation at higher degrees of knee flexion. The purpose of this study is to investigate the use of a supine internal rotation (IR) test for the diagnosis of grade III PCL injuries. The hypothesis was that […]
Prior studies have suggested that anatomic double-bundle (DB) posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (PCLR) reduces residual laxity compared with the intact state better than single-bundle PCLR. Although the anterolateral bundle (ALB) and posteromedial bundle (PMB) reportedly act codominantly, few studies have compared commonly used graft fixation angles and the influence that graft fixation angles have […]
Currently, no consensus exists for the optimal graft fixation angle for anatomic single-bundle (SB) posterior cruciate ligament reconstructions (PCLRs). Additionally, direct graft forces have not been measured. Alternative graft fixation angles and the resultant graft forces should be investigated to optimize the stability of SB PCLRs without overconstraining the knee. The results of this study […]
The purpose of this study is to counteract posterior translation of the tibia with an anterior force on the posterior proximal tibia that has been demonstrated clinically to improve posterior knee laxity following posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injury. This study quantified forces applied to the posterior proximal tibia by two knee braces designed for […]
Consistent radiographic guidelines for tunnel placement in single or double-bundle posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstructions are not well defined. Quantitative guidelines reporting the location of the individual PCL bundle attachments would aid in intraoperative tunnel placement and postoperative assessment of a PCL reconstruction. This study hypothesized that consistent and reproducible measurements in relation to […]
This study evaluated the current literature for both functional and post-operative rehabilitation for PCL tears. A very comprehensive summary of the current treatment for acute PCL tears, both non-operatively and operatively, as well as post-operative treatment of PCL reconstructions was reviewed. This summary of all the current literature was provided such that further improvements in areas […]
This manuscript went into detail about the history of PCL braces, why PCL braces are needed, and what future research is necessary to improve on PCL bracing. Basically, we found that most current braces do not place sufficient force on the posterior aspect of the knee to reduce it back into anatomic position. PCL braces can […]
